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Getenet and deja vu the stories of the Junior Dash

4km-winner-848-565

Remember the name Chekole Getenet. He ‘s the Brisbane-based Ethiopian refugee who showed the field a clean set of heels in today’s 4km Junior Dash at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon.

Getenet ran an attention-grabbing 12:39 to defeat local runner Lachlan Jones and Brisbane’s Jaxon Paterson-Wright by 30 and 39 seconds respectively.

It’s apparent the running career of the 14-year-old John Paul College student is on a well-planned trajectory.

His sights are firmly set on competing in the 2017 World Youth Championships in Kenya, the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and ultimately the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

And in a case of running déjà vu, the podium positions in the girl’s 4km Junior Dash were the same as last year.

Carindale’s Katrina Robinson (13:28) took the spoils again ahead of Mackenzey Ormiston (14:11) from Tweed Heads and Cara Jardine from Samford Valley (14:17).

Robinson’s win was doubly stunning as she finished fourth overall in the 669-strong combined boy’ and girl’s field.

Boy’s 4km winner Getenet said he will work on national competition to help him achieve his lofty international aims.

“This is my first time in the race,” Getenet said.

“I’m going to go to the nationals this year and next year I want to do the (Southern Cross University) 10km Run,” he said.

Second placegetter Jones said a mid-morning headwind took him by surprise.

“The hill start is always good, but it was hard coming back with that headwind, which I wasn’t expecting until it hit me,” Jones said.

“It forced me to slow it down just a little bit, to make sure I had enough for a good last kilometre,” he said.

Jones said he spends a lot of time each week cross training.

“I take running pretty seriously but I’m focusing generally on triathlons.

“I do five sessions a week and I mix it in with the swimming and bike riding and I really enjoy it all,” he said.

Paterson-Wright said he was amazed at the pace.

“I think that was the fastest race I’ve ever been a part of,” Paterson–Wright said. “This was my second four kilometre run ever. I’ve usually done three kilometre races until now.

“Even with it being a bit longer than usual, the pace today was the quickest I’ve been in.

“The pace of the leaders kind of made me change my strategy. They were so fast and I had to try my best to keep up with them,” he said.

Girl’s race victor Robinson became a dual winner of the event, but it’s now time for her to step up in age group and distance.

“I have run this race three years now,” she said. “I have won this two times before, but this was my best result in terms of time.”

“Next year I’ll be too old for the 4km, so I’m going to do the 10km.”

“I want to represent Australia,” she said.

Ormiston said she was happy with her repeat second place.

“I’m happy with my results this year. I came second last year and again this year. This year I beat my best time though,” she said.

And she sees opportunity in the wind.

“I definitely want to come back again and try to get first place as the other girls will be too old to do it again next year,” she said.

Cara Jardine also beat her 2014 time.

“I was hoping to get under 14 minutes, but I still beat my time from last year,” Jardine said.

“I wish I could do it again next year, but I’ll be too old. I think I might try the (Suncorp Bank) 5.7km Challenge next year,” she said.

In the 2km Junior Dash, Max Hooper from Victoria Point won the boy’s race in 6:47 while Zillmere’s Caitlyn Morse was the victor in the girl’s race in 7:30.

Hooper was thrilled at his first placing in the 2km event.

“This was my first time in the race and it was a great feeling on my way back, knowing I was first,” he said.

“Last time my friend won this race, but luckily he wasn’t running this year because he is too old now,” he said.

Girl’s 2km winner Morse is keen to step up to the 4km Junior Dash next year.

“I have done a lot of training with my coach,” she said. “I’m going to come back next year and do a longer race.”

4km Junior Dash

Boys: Chekole Getenet (QLD) 12m39s 1, Lachlan Jones (QLD) 13m09s 2, Jaxon Paterson-Wright (QLD) 13m18s 3, Will Morris (QLD) 13m49s 4, Joshua Mumford (NSW) 13m55s 5, Jake Waugh (QLD) 14m05s 6, Harrison Martinenko (QLD) 14m07s 7, Ryan McCure (QLD) 14m10s 8, Brock Waugh (QLD) 14m14s 9, Kalani Lang (QLD) 14m 15s 10.

Girls: Katrina Robinson (QLD) 13m28s 1, Mackenzey Ormiston (NSW) 14m11s 2, Cara Jardine (QLD) 14m17s 3, Ruby Smee (TAS) 14m39s 4, Sophie Follett (QLD) 14m43s 5, Emily Casaclang (QLD) 14m57s 6, Jenna Breetzke (QLD) 15m15s 7, Anna Jones (QLD) 15m15s 8, Emily Witt (QLD) 15m23s 9, Jazi Coventry (QLD) 15m32s 10.

2km Junior Dash

Boys: Max Hooper (QLD) 06m47s 1, Finley Neylan (NSW) 06m59s 2, Dylan Devine (QLD) 07m02s 3, Zane Pearce (QLD) 07m19s 4, Arekisanda Makihara (JPN) 07m19s 5, Archie Ridgway (QLD) 07m21s 6, Jonathan Meaker (NSW) 07m22s 7, Blake Turner (QLD) 07m24s 8, Aaron Parker (QLD) 07m27s 9, Uiriamu Makihara (JPN) 07m28s 10.

Girls: Caitlyn Morse (QLD) 07m30s 1, Trista Hockey (QLD) 07m33s 2, Ella Wilson (VIC) 07m41s 3, Amelia Norton (ACT) 07m51s 4, Amber Louw (VIC) 08m02s 5, Kristin Ramsay (QLD) 08m04s 6, Kali Byrnes (QLD) 08m06s 7, Kate McKenna (QLD) 08m10s 8, Zoe Wilson (NSW) 08m14s 9, Katelyn Neville (QLD) 08m15s 10.

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